New tech to be excited about: iPhone 13 and Fold 3, Flip 3

We closed out October and what a month it was for us tech lovers. Device manufacturers were scrambling to get their wares out in time for the festive season. So, we got treated to some sweet devices and tasty technologies. Over here in Zimbabwe, we don’t buy nearly enough to be a focus for these companies but we watch on, wide eyed and drooling.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, Z Fold 3

The leading foldable smartphone manufacturer offers two distinct foldables. One is a phone that folds down into a small little square (Flip 3) and the other, a tablet that folds into a regular sized smartphone (Fold 3). Samsung struck the perfect chord this year and both foldables are flying off shelves.

You would think the one that is technically two devices in one, the Z Fold 3 would be more popular but you’d be wrong. The Flip 3 is outselling the Fold 3 by a huge margin. Yes, the Fold is $800 more expensive, but still. 

The success of the Flip 3 has led Samsung to offer customers the option to customise the colour of the device. There are 49 colour combinations so customers can ‘express their true personalities.’ Whatever that means. 

Remember though that both are selling much better than previous models. Why this success this year?

Durability

As you’d imagine, a device with a folding ultra thin glass screen would be somewhat more fragile than the brick in your pocket. The first foldables indeed demonstrated that that was the case. This year, Samsung made major improvements to the durability of the foldables to the point where it feels like magic.

Both models are water resistant and can be submerged in water, up to 1.5m deep and for up to 30 minutes with no problem. That is crazy for phones with a hinge right in the middle of the phone. They both have an IPX8 rating, meaning that water submersion is a go but dust remains a formidable enemy. There is no rating for dust proofing but they improved the hinge and its dust repelling capabilities. 

Price and the other expected improvements

In other years, the engineering prowess exhibited here would have resulted in higher prices but alas, price cuts. Both models are cheaper than previous models were at launch. Cheaper does not mean cheap though, the Flip starts at $1000 while the Fold starts at a cough-inducing $1800.

Yep. We’re talking pre-loved car money. What do you get for your money?

Nothing special as regards specifications to be honest. The same processor, the Snapdragon 888, in literally every other Android flagship. A 120Hz variable refresh rate screen, like is the norm today. What you’re getting is a package, a taste of the future, today. 

iPhone 13 models

I have been an Android user since the Samsung Galaxy S1 was released 10 years ago. I’ve never really been attracted to iPhones, felt a little restricted on iOS. I tried the beautiful iPhone 5 in 2012 but I had to exchange it for a Galaxy S2 after only a month. Nine years later, the latest iPhones are starting to look good.

Interested in photography, the iPhone 13’s camera setup is just as dynamic as its Android counterparts. Three Sony lenses used for wide, ultra-wide and telephoto pictures just like the competition. The iPhone camera is consistently in the top 3 smartphone cameras, that hasn’t changed.

What has changed is battery life. We used to laugh at our lightning cable wielding friends as they hunted for power outlets at every opportunity. For the last few years, iPhones have had superb battery life and the iPhone 13s are the best yet. This year Apple increased battery capacity whilst improving the already unmatched efficiency of their processors. The result: probably the best battery life on a flagship smartphone yet.

That processor, the A15 Bionic is truly special. In benchmark scores, no other chip comes even close, both in single core and multicore processing. That includes Google’s Tensor chip, Samsung’s Exynos 2100 or the ubiquitous Snapdragon 888 Plus. Real life tests do not reflect this superior processing capability because for day to day tasks like scrolling through Twitter, even mid-range processors can handle that without breaking a sweat.

What is finally making iPhones more appealing to me are the software changes. Android and iOS are converging and the user interface and experience is pretty much the same. Navigation for example is exactly the same, meaning jumping ship in either direction won’t be as jarring as it once was.

iOS is now handling notifications much like how Android does it and I like that. No longer do iOS users have to contend with a long list of notifications from the same app for example. They are grouped just like they are on Android.

Widgets were introduced and that inspired Android developers to update their own stale offerings. An app drawer was also introduced, meaning at long last, an iOS user does not have to contend with all their apps on the home screen.

Then the customisations. Oh my word. Are we sure this isn’t Android? Now users can do a little more than change the wallpaper when it comes to personalisation. Users can now change even icon packs and are getting closer and closer to the Android experience.

For me, the following iOS update will determine whether I try the fruit once again. If we get more of what we got with iOS 15 in the iPhone 13 lineup, I might bite the bullet.